News: Chris Bell's "Prescription Thugs" takes on powerful Big Pharma!

The theatrical release of "Prescription Drugs", the follow-up film of acclaimed filmmaker's Chris Bell to his Sundance hit, "Bigger, Stronger, Faster", is scheduled on January 22, 2016. The release date also marks the film's debut on iTunes and on demand.

This hard hitting and thought provoking documentary exposes the Big Pharma, its marketing practices and their impact on the staggering level of addiction to prescription drugs in North America.

This is Chris Bell's follow-up to his film "Bigger Stronger Faster" after witnessing friends and relatives face tragedy as they become addicted to prescription drugs. Bell sets out to explore the goals of pharmaceutical companies and doctors in this ever-growing market and asks how are they any different to back-alley drug-pushers. His journey leads to experts on the nature of addiction in our culture as well as to pharmaceutical whistle-blowers that testify to the solely dollar-driven aims of pharmaceutical companies.

In the film, Chris meets with WWE legends such as Matthew “Horshu” Wiese and Chris Leben, with former California State Senator (now Congressman for California's 33rd District) Ted Lieu, pharmaceutical company whistle-blower Gwen Olsen, Cliffside Malibu Rehabilitation Center founder Richard Taite, Professor of Psychiatry David Healy, author of Generation RX Greg Critser, and members of his own family.

"Prescription Thugs" is a Samuel Goldwyn Films release. Vince Vaughn and Peter Billingsley serve as the films Executive Producer.

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Raymond Lo

News: Rooney Mara is recipient of 31st SBIFF Cinema Vanguard Award!

Oscar-winning actress and Rooney's "Carol" co-star Cate Blanchett will present the honor to Ms. Mara on February 12th!

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival announced on Tuesday, December 8th, that it will honor Rooney Mara with the Cinema Vanguard Award on Friday, February 12, 2016 during the 31st edition of the festival.  The actress will be celebrated for her remarkable role in this year’s "Carol" alongside Cate Blanchett, who will present Mara with the award at a tribute at the Arlington Theatre.

The Cinema Vanguard Award was created in recognition of actors who have forged their own path - taking artistic risks and making a significant and unique contribution to film. Previous honorees include Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones, Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio, Amy Adams, Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo, Nicole Kidman, Christoph Waltz, Vera Farmiga, Stanley Tucci, Peter Sarsgaard, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Ryan Gosling.

Festival Director Roger Durling commented, “From her scene-stealing turn in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to her outstanding performance in his year’s Carol, Rooney has repeatedly showcased her talents as one of the most gifted actors of her generation. I truly admire the enigmatic and complex nature of her performances. She’s an adept, beguiling actor, and we are proud to present her with this year’s Cinema Vanguard Award.”

Rooney Mara is best known for her Golden Globe® and Academy Award® nominated performance in David Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. She has also appeared in The Social Network, Steven Soderbergh’s Side Effects, and Joe Wright’s Pan. She will be seen in Lion alongside Nicole Kidman and in Untitled Terrence Malick Project, also starring Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, and Ryan Gosling.

Carol follows two women from very different backgrounds who find themselves in an unexpected love affair in 1950s New York. A young woman in her 20s, Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara), is a clerk working in a Manhattan department store and dreaming of a more fulfilling life when she meets Carol (Cate Blanchett), an alluring woman trapped in a loveless, convenient marriage. The film is adapted from Patricia Highsmith’s seminal novel “The Price of Salt”, and also stars Kyle Chandler and Sarah Paulson.

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Raymond Lo

News: 2016 Golden Globes Nominations are in!


The 2016 Golden Globes nominations announced this morning. "Straight Outta Compton" did not get any nomination. Johnny Depp snubbed. Charlotte Rampling snubbed. Kristen Stewart snubbed!

FULL NOMINATIONS LIST

Motion Pictures

Best Drama
"Carol"
"Mad Max: Fury Road"
"The Revenant"
"Room"
"Spotlight"

Best Comedy
“The Big Short”
“Joy”
“The Martian”
“Spy”
“Trainwreck”

Best Director
Todd Haynes, "Carol"
Alejandro González Iñárritu, "The Revenant"
Tom McCarthy, "Spotlight"
George Miller, "Mad Max: Fury Road"
Ridley Scott, "The Martian"

Best Actress in a Drama
Cate Blanchett, "Carol"
Brie Larson, "Room"
Rooney Mara, "Carol"
Saoirse Ronan, "Brooklyn"
Alicia Vikander, "The Danish Girl"

Best Actor in a Drama
Bryan Cranston, "Trumbo"
Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Revenant"
Michael Fassbender, "Steve Jobs"
Eddie Redmayne, "The Danish Girl"
Will Smith, "Concussion"

Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy
Christian Bale, "The Big Short"
Steve Carell, "The Big Short"
Matt Damon, "The Martian"
Al Pacino, "Danny Collins"
Mark Ruffalo, "Infinitely Polar Bear"

Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy
Jennifer Lawrence, "Joy"
Amy Schumer, "Trainwreck"
Melissa McCarthy, "Spy"
Maggie Smith, "The Lady in the Van"
Lily Tomlin, "Grandma"

Best Supporting Actress
Kate Winslet, “Steve Jobs”
Jennifer Jason Leigh, “The Hateful Eight”
Jane Fonda, “Youth”
Alicia Vikander, “Ex Machina”
Helen Mirren, “Trumbo”

Best Supporting Actor
Paul Dano, "Love &Mercy"
Idris Elba, "Beasts of No Nation"
Mark Rylance, "Bridge of Spies"
Michael Shannon, "99 Homes"
Sylvester Stallone, "Creed"

Best Screenplay
"Room"
"Spotlight"
"The Big Short"
"Steve Jobs"
"The Hateful Eight"

Best Foreign Language Film
“Son of Saul”, Hungary
“Mustang”, France
“The Fencer”, Finland
“Brand New Testament”, Belgium
“The Club”, Chile

Best Animated Feature
"Anomalisa"
"The Good Dinosaur"
"Inside Out"
"The Peanuts Movie"
"Shaun The Sheep"

Best Original Song
“One Kind of Love,” “Love & Mercy”
“Simple Song #3,” “Youth”
“See You Again,” “Furious 7”
“Love Me Like You Do,” “50 Shades of Grey”
“Writing’s on the Wall,” “Spectre”

Best Score
“Carol”
“The Danish Girl”
“The Revenant”
“Inside Out”
“Mad Max: Fury Road”

Television

Best TV Comedy or Musical
“Orange is the New Black” (Netflix)
“Silicon Valley” (HBO)
“Transparent” (Amazon)
“Veep” (HBO”
“Casual” (Hulu)
“Mozart in the Jungle” (Amazon)

Best TV Drama
“Empire” (Fox)
“Mr. Robot” (USA)
“Game of Thrones” (HBO)
“Outlander” (Starz)
“Narcos” (Netflix)

Best Actress in a TV Drama
Taraji P. Henson, “Empire”
Viola Davis, “How to Get Away With Murder” (ABC)
Robin Wright, “House of Cards” (Netflix)
Caitriona Balfe, “Outlander” (Starz)
Eva Green, “Penny Dreadful”

Best Actor in a TV Drama
Liev Schreiber, “Ray Donovan” (Showtime)
Wagner Moura, “Narcos” (Netflix)
Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul” (AMC)
Rami Malek, “Mr. Robot” (USA)
Jon Hamm, “Mad Men” (AMC)

Best Actress in a TV Comedy
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep” (HBO)
Gina Rodriguez, “Jane the Virgin” (CW)
Lily Tomlin, “Grace & Frankie” (Netflix)
Jamie Lee Curtis, “Scream Queens” (Fox)
Rachel Bloom, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” (CW)

Best Actor in a TV Comedy
Jeffrey Tambor, “Transparent” (Amazon)
Aziz Ansari, “Master of None” (Netflix)
Rob Lowe, “The Grinder” (Fox)
Will Forte, “Last Man on Earth” (Fox)
Patrick Stewart, “Blunt Talk” (Starz)
Gael Garcia Bernal, “Mozart in the Jungle” (Netflix)

Best Miniseries or TV Movie
“Fargo” (FX)
“American Crime” (ABC)
“American Horror Story: Hotel” (FX)
“Wolf Hall” (PBS)
“Flesh and Bone” (Starz)

Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie
Lady Gaga, "American Horror Story: Hotel" (FX)
Sarah Hay, "Flesh & Bone" (Starz)
Felicity Huffman, "American Crime" (ABC)
Kirsten Dunst, "Fargo" (FX)
Queen Latifah, "Bessie"

Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie
Oscar Isaac, “Show Me a Hero” (HBO)
Patrick Wilson, “Fargo” (FX)
Idris Elba, “Luther” (BBC America)
David Oyelowo, “Nightingale” (HBO)
Mark Rylance, “Wolf Hall” (PBS)

Best Supporting Actress in a TV Show, Miniseries or TV Movie
Regina King, “American Crime” (ABC)
Uzo Aduba, “Orange is the New Black”
Joanne Froggatt, “Downton Abbey” (PBS)
Maura Tierney, “The Affair” (Showtime)
Judith Light, “Transparent” (Amazon)

Best Supporting Actor in a TV Show, Miniseries or TV Movie
Damian Lewis, “Wolf Hall” (CBS)
Christian Slater, “Mr. Robot” (USA)
Alan Cumming, “The Good Wife” (CBS)
Ben Mendelsohn, “Bloodline” (Netflix)
Tobias Menzies, “Outlander”

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Raymond Lo

News: Screen Actors Guild Announces Nominations; "Straight Outta Compton" wins ensemble nom, Kristen Stewart snubbed!


The KStew Oscar train stalls at the SAG even if today's morning announcement brings joy to the cast of the surprise 2015 critical and commercial hit "Straight Outta Compton" after it earns a coveted nomination for Best Ensemble Cast.

Sarah Silverman also earns a surprise best actress nomination for "I Smile Back", possibly at the expense of Jennifer Lawrence ("Joy"), Charlotte Rampling ("45 Years").

2016 SAG Nominations

MOVIES

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role in a Motion Picture
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Johnny Depp, Black Mass
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role in a Motion Picture
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Helen Mirren, Woman in Gold
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Sarah Silverman, I Smile Back

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Michael Shannon, 99 Homes
Jacob Tremblay, Room

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Rooney Mara, Carol
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Helen Mirren, Trumbo
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in a Motion Picture
Beasts of No Nation
The Big Short
Spotlight
Straight Outta Compton
Trumbo

TELEVISION

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Idris Elba, Luther
Ben Kingsley, Tut
Ray Liotta, Texas Rising
Bill Murray, A Very Murray Christmas
Mark Rylance, Wolf Hall

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in Television Movie or Miniseries
Nicole Kidman, Grace of Monaco
Quene Latifah, Bessie
Christina Ricci, The Lizzie Borden Chronicles
Susan Sarandon, The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe
Kristen Wiig, The Spoils Before Dying

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Louis C.K., Louis
William H. Macy, Shameless
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actress in a Comedy Series
Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
Bob Odenkirk, Better Caul Saul
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Claire Danes, Homeland
Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Robin Wright, House of Cards

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
Homeland
House of Cards
Mad Men

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory
Key and Peele
Modern Family
Orange Is the New Black
Transparent
Veep

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Raymond Lo

News: Joel & Ethan Coen's "Hail, Caesar!" to open 2016 Berlinale!

On 11 February 2016, Hail, Caesar! by Academy Award winning director duo Joel and Ethan Coen will open the 66th Berlin International Film Festival.

The 66th Berlinale announced on Friday, December 4th, their first competition film for the 2016 edition of the festival. Joel and Ethan Coen's "Hail, Caesar!" will be one of the films competing for the Golden Bear, which will be selected by an international jury headed by her majesty, Queen Meryl Streep.

According to the press notes, "Hail, Caesar!" takes place during the latter years of Hollywood’s Golden Age, during the studio system’s heyday, and features an all-star cast including Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Alden Ehrenreich, Ralph Fiennes, Jonah Hill, Scarlett Johansson, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and Channing Tatum. The comedy follows a single day in the life of a studio fixer who is presented with plenty of problems to fix.

The renowned directors Joel and Ethan Coen have been a prominent fixture in international cinema for more than 30 years. After their sensational debut Blood Simple (1984), the Coen Brothers have enjoyed international successes with audiences and critics alike for films such as Fargo (1996, Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay), No Country for Old Men (2007, three Academy Awards in the categories Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film and Best Director), Burn After Reading (2008), A Serious Man (2009) and Inside Llewyn Davis (2013).

In 1998, the Coen Brothers presented their brilliant comedy The Big Lebowski in the Berlinale Competition programme, and their dramatic western True Grit opened the 61st Berlin International Film Festival in 2011.

“It’s wonderful that Joel and Ethan Coen are once again opening the Berlinale. Their humour, unique characters and fantastic narrative skill are guaranteed to thrill the audience. Hail, Caesar! is the perfect start for the 2016 Berlinale,” says Festival Director Dieter Kosslick.

Hail, Caesar! is produced by Joel and Ethan Coen, and Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, through Mike Zoss Productions and Working Title Films.

The film is released by Universal Pictures worldwide and will open in German cinemas on February 18, 2016.

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Raymond Lo

Sundance 2016: Full Festival Competition Line-up

65 films selected for the U.S. Competition, World Competition and out-of-competition NEXT category set to premiere at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, January 21-31 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah.


U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION

As You Are / U.S.A. (Director: Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, Screenwriters: Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, Madison Harrison) — As You Are is the telling and retelling of a relationship between three teenagers as it traces the course of their friendship through a construction of disparate memories prompted by a police investigation. Cast: Owen Campbell, Charlie Heaton, Amandla Stenberg, John Scurti, Scott Cohen, Mary Stuart Masterson. World Premiere

The Birth of a Nation / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Nate Parker) — Set against the antebellum South, this story follows Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner, accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue unruly slaves. After witnessing countless atrocities against fellow slaves, Nat devises a plan to lead his people to freedom. Cast: Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, Jackie Earle Haley, Gabrielle Union, Mark Boone Jr. World Premiere

Christine / U.S.A. (Director: Antonio Campos, Screenwriter: Craig Shilowich) — In 1974, a female TV news reporter aims for high standards in life and love in Sarasota, Florida. Missing her mark is not an option. This story is based on true events. Cast: Rebecca Hall, Michael C. Hall, Maria Dizzia, Tracy Letts, J. Smith-Cameron. World Premiere

Equity / U.S.A. (Director: Meera Menon, Screenwriter: Amy Fox) — A female investment banker, fighting to get a promotion at her competitive Wall Street firm, leads a controversial tech IPO in the post-financial-crisis world, where regulations are tight but pressure to bring in big money remains high. Cast: Anna Gunn, James Purefoy, Sarah Megan Thomas, Alysia Reiner. World Premiere

The Free World / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jason Lew) — Following his release from a brutal stretch in prison for crimes he didn’t commit, Mo is struggling to adapt to life on the outside. When his world collides with Doris, a mysterious woman with a violent past, he decides to risk his newfound freedom to keep her in his life. Cast: Boyd Holbrook, Elisabeth Moss, Octavia Spencer, Sung Kang, Waleed Zuaiter. World Premiere

Goat / U.S.A. (Director: Andrew Neel, Screenwriters: David Gordon Green, Andrew Neel, Michael Roberts) — Reeling from a terrifying assault, a 19-year-old boy pledges his brother’s fraternity in an attempt to prove his manhood. What happens there, in the name of "brotherhood," tests both the boys and their relationship in brutal ways. Cast: Nick Jonas, Ben Schnetzer, Virginia Gardner, Danny Flaherty, Austin Lyon. World Premiere

The Intervention / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Clea DuVall) — A weekend getaway for four couples takes a sharp turn when one of the couples discovers the entire trip was orchestrated to host an intervention on their marriage. Cast: Melanie Lynskey, Cobie Smulders, Alia Shawkat, Clea DuVall, Natasha Lyonne, Ben Schwartz. World Premiere

Joshy / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jeff Baena) — Josh treats what would have been his bachelor party as an opportunity to reconnect with his friends. Cast: Thomas Middleditch, Adam Pally, Alex Ross Perry, Nick Kroll, Brett Gelman, Jenny Slate. World Premiere

Lovesong / U.S.A. (Director: So Yong Kim, Screenwriters: So Yong Kim, Bradley Rust Gray) — Neglected by her husband, Sarah embarks on an impromptu road trip with her young daughter and her best friend, Mindy. Along the way, the dynamic between the two friends intensifies before circumstances force them apart. Years later, Sarah attempts to rebuild their intimate connection in the days before Mindy’s wedding. Cast: Jena Malone, Riley Keough, Brooklyn Decker, Amy Seimetz, Ryan Eggold, Rosanna Arquette. World Premiere

Morris from America / U.S.A., Germany (Director and screenwriter: Chad Hartigan) — Thirteen-year-old Morris, a hip-hop loving American, moves to Heidelberg, Germany, with his father. In this completely foreign land, he falls in love with a local girl, befriends his German tutor-turned-confidant, and attempts to navigate the unique trials and tribulations of adolescence. Cast: Markees Christmas, Craig Robinson, Carla Juri, Lina Keller, Jakub Gierszał, Levin Henning. World Premiere

Other People / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Chris Kelly) — A struggling comedy writer, fresh from breaking up with his boyfriend, moves to Sacramento to help his sick mother. Living with his conservative father and younger sisters, David feels like a stranger in his childhood home. As his mother worsens, he tries to convince everyone (including himself) he's "doing okay." Cast: Jesse Plemons, Molly Shannon, Bradley Whitford, Maude Apatow, Zach Woods, June Squibb. World Premiere. DAY ONE FILM

Southside With You / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Richard Tanne) — Southside With You chronicles a single day in the summer of 1989 when the future President of the United States, Barack Obama, wooed his future First Lady on an epic first date across Chicago's South Side. Cast: Tika Sumpter, Parker Sawyers, Vanessa Bell Calloway. World Premiere

Spa Night / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Andrew Ahn) — A young Korean-American man works to reconcile his obligations to his struggling immigrant family with his burgeoning sexual desires in the underground world of gay hookups at Korean spas in Los Angeles. Cast: Joe Seo, Haerry Kim, Youn Ho Cho, Tae Song, Ho Young Chung, Linda Han. World Premiere

Swiss Army Man / U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Daniel Scheinert, Daniel Kwan) — Hank, a hopeless man stranded in the wild, discovers a mysterious dead body. Together the two embark on an epic journey to get home. As Hank realizes the body is the key to his survival, this once-suicidal man is forced to convince a dead body that life is worth living. Cast: Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe, Mary Elizabeth Winstead. World Premiere

Tallulah / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Sian Heder) — A rootless young woman takes a toddler from a wealthy, negligent mother and passes the baby off as her own in an effort to protect her. This decision connects and transforms the lives of three very different women. Cast: Ellen Page, Allison Janney, Tammy Blanchard, Evan Jonigkeit, Uzo Aduba. World Premiere

White Girl / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Elizabeth Wood) — Summer, New York City: A college student goes to extremes to get her drug dealer boyfriend out of jail. Cast: Morgan Saylor, Brian 'Sene' Marc, Justin Bartha, Chris Noth, India Menuez, Adrian Martinez. World Premiere


U.S. DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

Audrie & Daisy / U.S.A. (Directors: Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk) — After two high school girls in different towns are sexually assaulted by boys they consider friends, online bullying leads each girl to attempt suicide. Tragically, one dies. Assault in the social media age is explored from the perspectives of the girls and boys involved, as well as their torn-apart communities. World Premiere

Author: The JT LeRoy Story / U.S.A. (Director: Jeff Feuerzeig) — The definitive look inside the mysterious case of 16-year-old literary sensation JT LeRoy—a creature so perfect for his time that if he didn't exist, someone would have had to invent him. Perhaps someone did? The strangest story about story ever told. World Premiere

The Bad Kids / U.S.A. (Directors: Keith Fulton, Lou Pepe) — At a remote Mojave Desert high school, extraordinary educators believe that empathy and life skills, more than academics, give at-risk students command of their own futures. This coming-of-age story watches education combat the crippling effects of poverty in the lives of these so-called "bad kids." World Premiere

Gleason / U.S.A. (Director: Clay Tweel) — At the age of 34, Steve Gleason, former NFL defensive back and New Orleans hero, was diagnosed with ALS. Doctors gave him two to five years to live. So that is what Steve chose to do: Live—both for his wife and newborn son and to help others with this disease. World Premiere

Holy Hell / U.S.A. (Director: undisclosed) — Just out of college, a young filmmaker joins a loving, secretive, and spiritual community led by a charismatic teacher in 1980s West Hollywood. Twenty years later, the group is shockingly torn apart. Told through two decades of the filmmaker’s archival materials, this is their story. World Premiere

How to Let Go of the World (and Love All the Things Climate Can't Change) / U.S.A. (Director: Josh Fox) — Do we have a chance to stop the most destructive consequences of climate change, or is it too late? Academy Award-nominated director Josh Fox (Gasland) travels to 12 countries on six continents to explore what we have to let go of—and all of the things that climate can't change. World Premiere

Jim / U.S.A. (Director: Brian Oakes) — The public execution of American conflict journalist James Foley captured the world’s attention, but he was more than just a man in an orange jumpsuit. Seen through the lens of his close childhood friend, Jim moves from adrenaline-fueled front lines and devastated neighborhoods of Syria into the hands of ISIS. World Premiere

Kate Plays Christine / U.S.A. (Director: Robert Greene) — This psychological thriller follows actor Kate Lyn Sheil as she prepares to play the role of Christine Chubbuck, a Florida television host who committed suicide on air in 1974. Christine’s tragic death was the inspiration for Network, and the mysteries surrounding her final act haunt Kate and the production. World Premiere

Kiki / U.S.A., Sweden (Director: Sara Jordenö) — Through a strikingly intimate and visually daring lens, Kiki offers a riveting, complex insight into a safe space created and governed by LGBTQ youths of color, who are demanding happiness and political power. The film is an exciting coming-of-age story about agency, resilience, and the transformative art form of voguing. World Premiere

Life, Animated / U.S.A. (Director: Roger Ross Williams) — Owen Suskind, an autistic boy who could not speak for years, slowly emerged from his isolation by immersing himself in Disney animated movies. Using these films as a roadmap, he reconnects with his loving family and the wider world in this emotional coming-of-age story. World Premiere

Newtown / U.S.A. (Director: Kim A. Snyder) — After joining the ranks of a growing club no one wants to belong to, the people of Newtown, Connecticut, weave an intimate story of resilience. This film traces the aftermath of the worst mass shooting of schoolchildren in American history as the traumatized community finds a new sense of purpose. World Premiere

NUTS! / U.S.A. (Director: Penny Lane) — The mostly true story of Dr. John Romulus Brinkley, an eccentric genius who built an empire with his goat-testicle impotence cure and a million-watt radio station. Animated reenactments, interviews, archival footage, and one seriously unreliable narrator trace his rise from poverty to celebrity and influence in 1920s America. World Premiere

Suited / U.S.A. (Director: Jason Benjamin) — Bindle & Keep, a Brooklyn tailoring company, makes custom suits for a growing legion of gender-nonconforming clients. World Premiere

Trapped / U.S.A. (Director: Dawn Porter) — American abortion clinics are in a fight for survival. Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers (TRAP) laws are increasingly being passed by states that maintain they ensure women’s safety and health, but as clinics continue to shut their doors, opponents believe the real purpose of these laws is to outlaw abortion. World Premiere

Uncle Howard / U.S.A., United Kingdom (Director: Aaron Brookner) — Howard Brookner's first film, Burroughs: The Movie, captured the cultural revolution of downtown New York City in the early '80s. Twenty-five years after his promising career was cut short by AIDS, his nephew sets out to discover Howard's never-before-seen films to create a cinematic elegy about his childhood idol. World Premiere

Weiner / U.S.A. (Directors: Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg) — With unrestricted access to Anthony Weiner's New York City mayoral campaign, this film reveals the human story behind the scenes of a high-profile political scandal as it unfolds, and offers an unfiltered look at how much today's politics is driven by an appetite for spectacle. World Premiere


WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION

Belgica / Belgium, France, Netherlands (Director: Felix van Groeningen, Screenwriters: Felix van Groeningen, Arne Sierens) — In the midst of Belgium's nightlife scene, two brothers start a bar and get swept up in its success. Cast: Stef Aerts, Tom Vermeir, Charlotte Vandermeersch, Hélène De Vos. World Premiere. DAY ONE FILM

Between Sea and Land / Colombia (Directors: Manolo Cruz, Carlos del Castillo, Screenwriter: Manolo Cruz) — Alberto, who suffers from an illness that binds him into a body that doesn’t obey him, lives with his loving mom, who dedicates her life to him. His sickness impedes him from achieving his greatest dream of knowing the sea, despite one being located just across the street. Cast: Manolo Cruz, Vicky Hernandéz, Viviana Serna, Jorge Cao, Mile Vergara, Javier Sáenz. World Premiere

Brahman Naman / United Kingdom, India (Director: Q, Screenwriter: S. Ramachandran) — When Bangalore University’s misfit quiz team manages to get into the national championships, they make an alcohol-fueled, cross-country journey to the competition, determined to defeat their arch-rivals from Calcutta while all desperately trying to lose their virginity. Cast: Shashank Arora, Tanmay Dhanania, Chaitanya Varad, Vaiswath Shankar, Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy, Sid Mallya. World Premiere

A Good Wife / Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia (Director: Mirjana Karanovic, Screenwriters: Mirjana Karanovic, Stevan Filipovic, Darko Lungulov) — When 50-year-old Milena finds out about the terrible past of her seemingly ideal husband, while simultaneously learning of her own cancer diagnosis, she begins an awakening from the suburban paradise she has been living in. Cast: Mirjana Karanovic, Boris Isakovic, Jasna Djuricic, Bojan Navojec, Hristina Popovic, Ksenija Marinkovic. World Premiere

Halal Love (and Sex) / Lebanon, Germany, United Arab Emirates (Director and screenwriter: Assad Fouladkar) — Four tragic yet comic interconnected stories come together in this film, which follows devout Muslim men and women as they try to manage their love lives and desires without breaking any of their religion’s rules. Cast: Darine Hamze, Rodrigue Sleiman, Zeinab Khadra, Hussein Mokadem, Mirna Moukarzel, Ali Sammoury. International Premiere

The Lure / Poland (Director: Agnieszka Smoczynska, Screenwriter: Robert Bolesto) — Two mermaid sisters, who end up performing at a nightclub, face cruel and bloody choices when one of them falls in love with a beautiful young man. Cast: Marta Mazurek, Michalina Olszanska, Jakub Gierszal, Kinga Preis, Andrzej Konopka, Zygmunt Malanowicz. International Premiere

Male Joy, Female Love / China (Director and screenwriter: Yao Huang) — Portrays an unlimited cycle of love stories. Cast: Nan Yu, Daizhen Ying, Xiaodong Guo, Yi Sun. World Premiere

Mammal / Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands (Director: Rebecca Daly, Screenwriters: Rebecca Daly, Glenn Montgomery) — After Margaret, a divorcée living in Dublin, loses her teenage son, she develops an unorthodox relationship with Joe, a homeless youth. Their tentative trust is threatened by his involvement with a violent gang and the escalation of her ex-husband's grieving rage. Cast: Rachel Griffiths, Barry Keoghan, Michael McElhatton. World Premiere

Mi Amiga del Parque / Argentina, Uruguay (Director: Ana Katz, Screenwriters: Ana Katz, Inés Bortagaray) — Running away from a bar without paying the bill is just the first adventure for Liz (mother to newborn Nicanor) and Rosa (supposed mother to newborn Clarisa). This budding friendship between nursing mothers starts with the promise of liberation but soon ends up being a dangerous business. Cast: Julieta Zylberberg, Ana Katz, Maricel Álvarez, Mirella Pascual, Malena Figó, Daniel Hendler. International Premiere

Much Ado About Nothing / Chile (Director: Alejandro Fernández, Screenwriters: Alejandro Fernández, Jerónimo Rodríguez) — An upper-class kid gets in trouble with the one percent. Cast: Agustín Silva, Alejandro Goic, Luis Gnecco, Paulina García, Daniel Alcaino, Augusto Schuster. World Premiere

Sand Storm / Israel (Director and screenwriter: Elite Zexer) — When their entire lives are shattered, two Bedouin women struggle to change the unchangeable rules, each in her own individual way. Cast: Lamis Ammar, Ruba Blal-Asfour, Hitham Omari, Khadija Alakel, Jalal Masrwa. World Premiere

Wild / Germany (Director and screenwriter: Nicolette Krebitz) — An anarchist young woman breaks the tacit contract with civilization and fearlessly decides on a life without hypocrisy or an obligatory safety net. Cast: Lilith Stangenberg, Georg Friedrich. World Premiere


WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

All These Sleepless Nights / Poland (Director: Michal Marczak) — What does it mean to be truly awake in a world that seems satisfied to be asleep? Kris and Michal push their experiences of life and love to a breaking point as they restlessly roam the streets of Warsaw in search for answers. World Premiere

A Flag Without a Country / Iraq (Director: Bahman Ghobadi) — This documentary follows the very separate paths of singer Helly Luv and pilot Nariman Anwar from Kurdistan, both in pursuit of progress, freedom, and solidarity. Both individuals are a source of strength to their society, which perpetually deals with the harsh conditions of life, war, and ISIS attacks. North American Premiere

Hooligan Sparrow / China, U.S.A. (Director: Nanfu Wang) — Traversing southern China, a group of activists led by Ye Haiyan, a.k.a. Hooligan Sparrow, protest a scandalous incident in which a school principal and a government official allegedly raped six students. Sparrow becomes an enemy of the state, but detentions, interrogations and evictions can’t stop her protest from going viral. World Premiere

The Land of the Enlightened / Belgium (Director: Pieter-Jan De Pue) — A group of Kuchi children in Afghanistan dig out old Soviet mines and sell the explosives to child workers in a lapis lazuli mine. When not dreaming of an Afghanistan after the American withdrawal, Gholam Nasir and his gang control the mountains where caravans are smuggling the blue gemstones. World Premiere

The Lovers and the Despot / United Kingdom (Directors: Robert Cannan, Ross Adam) — Following the collapse of their glamorous romance, a celebrity director and his actress ex-wife are kidnapped by movie-obsessed dictator Kim Jong-il. Forced to make films in extraordinary circumstances, they get a second chance at love—but only one chance at escape. World Premiere

Plaza de la Soledad / Mexico (Director: Maya Goded) — For over 20 years, photographer Maya Goded has intimately documented the lives of a close community of prostitutes in Mexico City. With dignity and humor, these women now strive for a better life — and the possibility of true love. World Premiere

The Settlers / France, Canada, Israel, Germany (Director: Shimon Dotan) — The first film of its kind to offer a comprehensive view of the Jewish settlements in the West Bank, The Settlers is a historical overview, geopolitical study, and intimate look at the people at the core of the most daunting challenge facing Israel and the international community today. World Premiere

Sky Ladder: The Art of Cai Guo-Qiang / U.S.A. (Director: Kevin Macdonald) — Having reached the pinnacle of the global art world with his signature explosion events and gunpowder drawings, world-famous Chinese contemporary artist Cai Guo-Qiang is still seeking more. We trace his rise from childhood in Mao’s China and his journey to attempt to realize his lifelong obsession, Sky Ladder. World Premiere. DAY ONE FILM

Sonita / Germany, Iran, Switzerland (Director: Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami) — If 18-year-old Sonita had a say, Michael Jackson and Rihanna would be her parents and she'd be a rapper who tells the story of Afghan women and their fate as child brides. She finds out that her family plans to sell her to an unknown husband for $9,000. North American Premiere

We Are X / United Kingdom, U.S.A., Japan (Director: Stephen Kijak) — As glam rock's most flamboyant survivors, X Japan ignited a musical revolution in Japan during the late '80s with their melodic metal. Twenty years after their tragic dissolution, X Japan’s leader, Yoshiki, battles with physical and spiritual demons alongside prejudices of the West to bring their music to the world. World Premiere

When Two Worlds Collide / Peru (Directors: Heidi Brandenburg, Mathew Orzel) — An indigenous leader resists the environmental ruin of Amazonian lands by big business. As he is forced into exile and faces 20 years in prison, his quest reveals conflicting visions that shape the fate of the Amazon and the climate future of our world. World Premiere


NEXT

THE 4TH / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Andre Hyland) — It's the Fourth of July in Los Angeles, and Jamie, a broke illustrator who is behind on his rent, tries to throw a cookout while his overbearing roommate is out of town, but everything seems to go wrong. Cast: Andre Hyland, Johnny Pemberton, Eliza Coupe, Yasmine Kittles, Anna Lee Lawson, Paul Erling Oyen. World Premiere

Dark Night / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Tim Sutton) — A suburban landscape plays witness to the inevitable, unfolding events that culminate in a Cineplex massacre. Over the course of one day, from sunrise to midnight, six strangers—the shooter among them—share in this new American nightmare. Cast: Robert Jumper, Anna Rose, Rosie Rodriguez, Karina Macias, Aaron Purvis, Eddie Cacciola. World Premiere

The Eyes of My Mother / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Nicolas Pesce) — A young, lonely woman is consumed by her deepest and darkest desires after tragedy strikes her quiet country life. Cast: Kika Magalhães, Will Brill, Paul Nazak, Flora Diaz, Clara Wong, Diana Agostini. World Premiere

First Girl I Loved / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kerem Sanga) — Seventeen-year-old Anne just fell in love with Sasha, the most popular girl at her L.A. public high school. But when Anne tells her best friend, Clifton—who has always harbored a secret crush on her—he does his best to get in the way. Cast: Dylan Gelula, Brianna Hildebrand, Mateo Arias, Jennifer Prediger, Tim Heidecker, Pamela Adlon. World Premiere

The Fits / U.S.A., Italy (Director: Anna Rose Holmer, Screenwriters: Anna Rose Holmer, Saela Davis, Lisa Kjerulff) — In this psychological portrait, Toni, an 11-year-old tomboy, is assimilating into a tight-knit dance team in Cincinnati’s West End when a mysterious outbreak of fainting spells plagues the team, and her desire for acceptance is twisted. Cast: Royalty Hightower, Alexis Neblett, Da'Sean Minor, Lauren Gibson, Makyla Burnam, Inayah Rodgers. North American Premiere

How To Tell You're A Douchebag / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Tahir Jetter) — This romantic comedy follows a misogynist who falls in love. Cast: Charles Brice, DeWanda Wise, William Jackson Harper, Alexander Mulzac, Jenna Williams, Tonye Patano. World Premiere

Jacqueline (Argentine) / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Bernardo Britto) — A young French woman hires a man to document her self-imposed political asylum in Argentina after supposedly leaking highly confidential government secrets. Cast: Camille Rutherford, Wyatt Cenac, James Benson, Martin Anderson, Sarah Willis, Enrique Dura. World Premiere

The Land / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Steven Caple Jr.) — Four teenage boys devote their summer to escaping the streets of Cleveland, Ohio, by pursuing a dream life of professional skateboarding. But when they get caught in the web of the local queenpin, their motley brotherhood is tested, threatening to make this summer their last. Cast: Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Moises Arias, Rafi Gavron, Ezri Walker, Erykah Badu, Michael K. Williams. World Premiere

Operation Avalanche / U.S.A., Canada (Director: Matt Johnson, Screenwriters: Matt Johnson, Josh Boles) — In 1967, four undercover CIA agents were sent to NASA posing as a documentary film crew. What they discovered led to one of the biggest conspiracies in American history. Cast: Matt Johnson, Owen Williams, Josh Boles, Ray James. World Premiere

Sleight / U.S.A. (Director: JD Dillard, Screenwriters: JD Dillard, Alex Theurer) — After a young street magician is left to care for his little sister following their mother's passing, he turns to dealing drugs, but quickly runs into trouble with his supplier. When his sister gets kidnapped, he must rely on his smarts and sleight of hand to save her. Cast: Jacob Latimore, Dulé Hill, Seychelle Gabriel, Storm Reid, Sasheer Zamata, Cameron Esposito. World Premiere

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Raymond Lo

Film Review: "Creed"


“Creed” is no “Rocky” but it is definitely one of the year’s biggest surprises and one of the most satisfying films to come out this holiday season.

The movie follows the story of Adonis Johnson from the time he was a quarrelsome child being shuttled from one foster parent to another until the widow of Apollo Creed, the champion boxer in the first 3 Rocky movies, takes him under her care after revealing a long-held family secret: he is Apollo’s illegitimate son.

Adonis grows up a fine young man but the blood of a champion boxer that runs through his vein proves to have a stronger hold on him than any other. He abandons his promising corporate career for the chance to fight in the unsanctioned underground boxing matches in Tijuana. Eventually, he decides to embrace his secret passion and moves to Philadelphia to look for the legendary Rocky Balboa and try to prod the retired boxer to return to the gym and train him. Rocky initially declines but takes an instant liking to the son of his former rival and lifelong friend, Apollo. Rocky has a son of his own who left Philly to carve a name for himself in Vancouver, thousands of miles away from his father’s shadow.

When Rocky finally decides to mentor Adonis, that’s when the movie starts to take off and really soar. Adonis’ rise and struggle is nowhere near similar to Rocky’s difficult and heroic climb to the top but both their stories share a parallel pattern that makes this one a specially poignant film that works both as tribute to Rocky Balboa’s legacy and the introduction of a new boxing icon that will hopefully bring us more inspiring tales from Philadelphia in movies to come.

Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone offer excellent performances in the film and their screen dynamic feels so authentic and so credible that one would mistake them for a real father and son as the story implies. There’s a scene in the film when Adonis introduces Rocky as his uncle to his girlfriend (played effortlessly by Tessa Thompson of “Dear White People” fame) who reacts by raising one of her eyebrows. One would think her reaction had something to do with race but no, she reacted because she was mad Adonis didn’t tell her his uncle was the great Rocky Balboa.

Rating: 4 ½ Stars

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Raymond Lo

News: Boston Film Critics join the Kristen Stewart bandwagon; "Spotlight" wins 3 awards!


2015 Winners

Best Picture  -  Spotlight

Best Actor - (tie) Paul Dano for Love & Mercy and Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant

Best Actress -  Charlotte Rampling for 45 Years

Best Supporting Actor - Mark Rykance for Bridge of Spies

Best Supporting Actress - Kristen Stewart for Clouds of Sils Maria

Best Director - Todd Haynes for Carol

Best Screenplay - Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer for Spotlight 

Best Cinematography - Edward Lachman for Carol

Best Documentary - Amy

Best Foreign-Language Film  (awarded in memory of Jay Carr) -  The Look of Silence

Best Animated Film -  (tie) Anomalisa and Inside Out

Best Film Editing (awarded in memory of Karen Schmeer) -  Margaret Sixel for Mad Max: Fury Road

Best New Filmmaker (awarded in memory of David Brudnoy) -  Marielle Heller for The Diary of a Teenage Girl

Best Ensemble Cast -  Spotlight 

Best Use of Music in a Film -  Love & Mercy

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Raymond Lo

News: LA Film Critics pick 2015 Winners!

43 members of the venerable critics group out of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, are currently deliberating and deciding on what movies and performances deserve to be called the best of 2015. We'll see how "Carol", "Spotlight", "The Revenant", "Creed", "The Hateful Eight", "Straight Outta Compton", Brie Larson, Saoirse Ronan, Sylvester Stallone and other Oscar hopefuls fare...


2015 LAFCA Honor Roll

BEST PICTURE
"Spotlight"
RUNNER-UP: "Mad Max: Fury Road"

BEST DIRECTOR
George Miller ("Mad Max: Fury Road")
RUNNER-UP: Todd Haynes ("Carol")

BEST ACTOR
Michael Fassbender ("Steve Jobs")
RUNNER-UP: Geza Rohrig ("Son of Saul")

BEST ACTRESS
Charlotte Rampling ("45 Years")
RUNNER-UP: Saoirse Ronan ("Brooklyn")

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Michael Shannon ("99 Homes")
RUNNER UP: Mark Rylance ("Bridge of Spies")

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Alicia Vikander ("Ex-Machina")
RUNNER-UP: Kristen Stewart ("Clouds of Sils Maria")

BEST SCREENPLAY
"Spotlight" (Josh Singer, Tom McCarthy)
RUNNER-UP: "Anomalisa" (Charlie Kaufman)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
"Mad Max: Fury Road" (John Seale)
RUNNER-UP: "Carol" (Edward Lachman)

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
"Mad Max: Fury Road" (Colin Gibson)
RUNNER-UP: "Carol" (Judy Becker)

BEST EDITING
"The Big Short" (Hank Corwin)
RUNNER-UP: "Mad Max: Fury Road"

BEST MUSIC SCORE
"Anomalisa", "Carol" (Carter Burwell)
RUNNER-UP: "The Hateful Eight" (Ennio Morricone)

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
"Son of Saul"
RUNNER-UP: "The Tribe"

BEST DOCUMENTARY/NON-FICTION FILM
"Amy"
RUNNER-UP: "The Look of Silence"

BEST ANIMATION
"Anomalisa"
RUNNER-UP: "Inside Out"

CAREER ACHIEVEMENT
Anne V. Coates

NEW GENERATION
Ryan Coogler ("Creed")


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Raymond Lo

Film Review: "The Grocer's Son"

A good film never ever ages. And I've confirmed that once again. I am so excited to share what I discovered on Netflix tonight. It's this 2007 small French film that's brimming with charm that it can win anyone over by just one petulant glance of its leading character, Antoine, or by one disarming laughter of Claire, Antoine's friend who comes along with him as he spends the summer in his hometown to help his mother tend to their family grocery business while his father recuperates in the hospital after a heart attack. One could also be won over easily by the captivating and picturesque village used as a fitting backdrop to this film about a grown-up man rediscovering his roots, his life, his family, his true self in the town that he once left, abandoned and promised to never return.

"The Grocer's Son" is such a wonderful, feel-good film that would make one yearn to return to their hometown and experience once again the simple joys and simple pleasures that only the towns of our childhood could offer. In this film, Antoine had to rediscover this only after he had to go back to driving the old family van filled with grocery items from one hamlet to another and meeting the same old folks -- a bunch of quirky but oddly endearing villagers -- he met when he was growing up. He also had to fall in love for the first time to fully realize that for one man to be truly and honestly happy is for him to give a part of himself to something or to someone.

But there's more to the film than just Antoine's personal story. The film is also about a family coming to terms with the return of the prodigal son. The older brother is loving but contemptuous - and is keeping his ex-wife's demand for divorce after becoming pregnant by another man a secret from his family. The mother is forgiving but fearful that Antoine might decide to leave again. But despite all these side stories, the film consistently kept the focus on Antoine and his personal journey. There are so many occasions in the film when the simmering family conflict could have easily been mined for dramatic effect but the director wisely staged each scene with minimal confrontation. The final meeting between Antoine and his father is one fine example of how the filmmaker's restraint succeeded in making what could have been a loud, tense encounter into a quiet conversation that never involved a hug, a tearful reconciliation or a moving score. It was just a father finally talking to his son and a son finally listening to his father. Powerful!

I first saw Nicolas Cazale, the actor who played Antoine, in the film "Three Dancing Slaves" a couple of years ago and the pained expression on his face playing Mark in that film has stuck with me. Tonight, his performance as Antoine is something I will always remember him by. He has only done a few films. I hope to see all of them.

Rating: 4 1/2 Stars

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Raymond

News: "Batman v Superman" super trailer is here!

The brand-new trailer dropped today via Jimmy Kimmel Live. It's not Marvel. It looks very different and i like it! Very much! That explains why it is here in my blog. Can't wait to watch it!














Watch the explosive trailer below...



News: Kristen Stewart named 2015 Best Supporting Actress by NYFCC; "Carol" sweeps!


Kristen Stewart shakes up Oscar race with a surprise win at the NYFCC voting today. Her win follows her historic win at the Cesars in France earlier this year. She could just be the dark horse contender this year!

"Carol" meanwhile nabs a commanding four awards possibly costing a best actress nod for Cate Blanchett or Rooney Mara.

2015 New York Film Critics Circle Honor Roll


Best Picture: CAROL

Best Director: Todd Haynes, CAROL

Best Screenplay: Phyllis Nagy, CAROL

Best Actress: Saoirse Ronan, BROOKLYN

Best Actor: Michael Keaton, SPOTLIGHT

Best Supporting Actress: Kristen Stewart, CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA

Best Supporting Actor: Mark Rylance, BRIDGE OF SPIES

Best Cinematographer: Edward Lachman, CAROL

Best Animated Film: INSIDE OUT

Best Non-Fiction Film (Documentary): IN JACKSON HEIGHTS

Best Foreign Language Film: TIMBUKTU

Best First Film: László Nemes, SON OF SAUL

Special Award: William Becker and Janus Films

Special Award: Ennio Morricone

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Raymond Lo

News: 2016 Slamdance Film Festival Narrative Features Competition (in Pictures)

Lineup full of premieres and highlights first-time directors from around the globe including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Italy and UK tackles subjects of redemption, agoraphobia, misfits, captivity, friendship and whistleblowers

The Slamdance Film Festival announced over the weekend their Narrative and Documentary Feature Film Competition programs for its 22nd Festival edition. As the premiere film festival by filmmakers for filmmakers, Slamdance's showcase of emerging artists includes 12 narrative and 8 documentary films. This 20-feature film competition includes 16 premieres – 12 World, 3 North American, and 1 US premieres. Slamdance is proud to present the best of first-time feature filmmakers pushing the boundaries of filmmaking with innovation and unique talent. All competition films are feature film directorial debuts with budgets of less than $1 million and without US distribution. All films were programmed entirely from blind submissions by the Slamdance filmmaking community.

Jury Awards are presented to feature films in both categories and all films are eligible for Audience Awards as well as the Spirit of SlamdanceAward, judged by the filmmakers themselves.

"The standard of DIY filmmaking around the world is the highest we've seen, and the diversity of storytelling is the most we've experienced. With a record breaking number of submissions to select from, the narrative and documentary feature line-up has never been so competitive or as exciting to program." states Co-founder and President, Peter Baxter.

The 2016 Slamdance Film Festival will take place from January 22nd - 28th, 2015 in Park City, Utah at the Treasure Mountain Inn, located at 255 Main Street, Park City, UT 84060

Here are the Narrative Features Program (in pictures.)

 All the Colors of the Night
(Brazil)
Director: Pedro Severien; Screenwriter: Luiz Otávio Pereira
Cast: Sabrina Greve, Sandra Possani, Brenda Ligia, Giovanna Simões, Rômulo Braga
Iris wakes up in her spacious seafront apartment, discovers a body in the living room and enlists the help of other women, setting off a spiral of redemption in an atmospheric drama of dark imagery and questionable reality.

Alvin’s Harmonious World of Opposites
(Australia/Indonesia) 
Director & Screenwriter: Platon Theodoris
Cast: Teik-Kim Pok, Vashti Hughes, Dessy Fitri, Ailis Logan, Nitin Vengurlekar, Tina Andrews, Alicia O'Donnel
Agoraphobic Alvin prefers stuffed pandas and online shopping to the aggressive rantings of his neighbor Virginia, until the sludge seeping from his ceiling forces him to search for answers in this offbeat comedy with a tender heart.
North American Premiere

Chemical Cut
(USA)
Director & Screenwriter: Marjorie Conrad
Cast: Marjorie Conrad, Ian Coster, Leah Rudick, Michael Lucid, Stephen Saban, Deven Green, Nicolas Coster, Vicki Marlane 
23-year-old Irene is an artistic misfit turned LA model busy searching for identity, inspiration and a kindred spirit while surrounded by competition, absurdity, and so many nude bras.
World Premiere

Driftwood
(USA) 
Director & Screenwriter: Paul Taylor
Cast: Joslyn Jensen, Paul C. Kelly, Michael Fentin
A young woman washes ashore and is claimed and conditioned by an older man in this intricately layered, dialogue-free exploration of familial roles, isolation and captivity.
World Premiere

Honey Buddies
(USA) 
Director: Alex Simmons; Screenwriters: Alex Simmons, David Giuntoli, Flula Borg
Cast: David Giuntoli, Flula Borg, Brian T. Finney, Claire Coffee, Jeanne Syquia
Jilted groom David is convinced by his excitable best man Flula to continue with his planned honeymoon, a backcountry trek in the mountains of Oregon, in a highly comedic ode to friendship and the great outdoors.
World Premiere

Hunky Dory
(USA)
Director: Michael Curtis Johnson; Screenwriters: Michael Curtis Johnson, Tomas Pais
Cast: Tomas Pais, Peter Van Norden, Jeff Newburg, Joy Darash, Edouard Holdener, Nora Rothman, Chad Borden, Chad Hartigan
After his ex disappears, Sidney, a dive bar drag queen, is forced to look after his 11-year-old son in a tale of unconventional fatherhood, the fear of mediocrity, and the pulsing reality of dreams deferred.
World Premiere 

If There’s A Hell Below
(USA) 
Director: Nathan Williams; Screenwriters: Nathan Williams, Matthew Williams
Cast: Conner Marx, Carol Roscoe, Paul Budraitis, Mark Carr
In a desolate landscape, an ambitious young journalist in a dusty car meets covertly with a national security whistleblower, and their roving exchange becomes increasingly cloaked in paranoia, tension and escalating threat.
World Premiere 

Last Summer
(Italy) 
Director: Leonardo Guerra Seragnoli; Screenwriters: Leonardo Guerra Seragnoli, Igort
Cast: Rinko Kikuchi, Yorick van Wageningen, Lucy Griffiths, Laura Bach, Daniel Ball, Ken Brady
Set on board a luxury yacht in sparkling international waters, this tense and stylish drama captures the four final days a mother is granted with her 6-year-old son to say goodbye after losing a custody battle.
US Premiere 

The Lesson
(UK) 
Director & Screenwriter: Ruth Platt
Cast: Evan Bendall, Robert Hands, Michaela Prchalova, Tom Cox, Rory Coltart, Dolya Gavaniski, Michael Swatton, Charlotte Croft
A grisly study of the relationship between a tormented teacher and the troubled teens who bear his wrath once he snaps; this morally challenging horror film is dark, claustrophobic, and shockingly eloquent.
North American Premiere

MAD
(USA) 
Director & Screenwriter: Robert G. Putka
Cast: Jennifer Lafleur, Maryann Plunkett, Eilis Cahill, Mark Reeb, David Sullivan, Conor Casey, Shaun Weiss, Chris Doubek
A matriarch past the point of a nervous breakdown, her two daughters that don't give a damn, and the heat-seeking missiles of resentment they toss at each other create a lively backdrop for this dark and dramatic comedy.
World Premiere 

Neptune
(USA)
Director: Derek Kimball; Screenwriters: Derek Kimball, Matthew Konkel
Cast: Jane Ackermann, Tony Reilly, William McDonough III, Christine Louise Marshall, Dylan Chestnutt, Maureen Butler
Set in the late 1980s on an island off the coast of Maine, an orphan girl raised by the church becomes obsessed by the disappearance of a classmate, and her haunted dreams and visions propel her to push past her sheltered life.

The Tail Job
(Australia) 
Directors & Screenwriters: Bryan Moses, Daniel Millar
Cast: Blair Dwyer, Craig Anderson, Laura Hughes, Kellie Clarke, Dorje Swallow, Grant Dodwell, Gary Waddell, Ursula Mills
Nicholas hires a taxi driver to follow his fiancé when he suspects her of cheating in this micro-budget comedy action tale that makes every wrong turn crackle with genuine humor and unexpected insight.
World Premiere

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES PROGRAM

1ha 43a
Director & Screenwriter: Monika Pirch (Germany)
After inheriting a plot of farming land near Dusseldorf, Monika explores the potential of her field through administrative, historic and poetic methods and manages to reconnect with the land and her ancestry in a beautiful and unexpected way.
North American Premiere

Art of the Prank
Director & Screenwriter: Andrea Marini (USA)
Legendary funny man Joey Skaggs has been pulling Americas chain since 1965. His next hoax? Film festivals.

Dead Hands Dig Deep
Director: Jai Love; Screenwriters: Jai Love, Spencer Heath (USA/Australia )
From the isolation of his secluded desert compound Edwin Borsheim, founder of the shock metal band Kettle Cadaver, ruminates on a life of violence, mayhem and personal destruction lived on the absolute edge of the known musical universe.
World Premiere

Fursonas
Director & Screenwriter: Dominic Rodriguez (USA)
Like any community, the Furry world is one with gossipers, dreamers, followers, whistleblowers and the one guy who wants to rule them all.
World Premiere

Los Punks; We Are All We Have
Director: Angela Boatwright; Screenwriter: Christine Triano (USA)
A cobbled-together family of Hispanic youth comprise the thriving backyard punk scene of South Central and East L.A.: bands, fans, and production are interwoven into a sub-culture of thrash, noise and pits.
World Premiere

The Million Dollar Duck
Director: Brian Golden Davis; Screenwriter: Martin J. Smith (USA)
Artists from different walks of life vie to win the Federal Duck Stamp Contest, the only art competition of its kind sponsored by the U.S. government.
World Premiere

Myrtle Beach
Directors: Neil Rough, Michael Fuller (Canada)
Myrtle Beach is a disturbingly intimate peek into the lives of the deviants, outcasts and forget-me-nows that inhabit this deformed stepsister of Coney Island.
World Premiere

Peanut Gallery
Director & Screenwriter: Molly Gandour (USA)
An intimate and unflinching exploration of one family's tragic loss and their attempt to heal after decades of silence.

All Access/Industry, Local's, and Student Festival Passes are available now online. Individual tickets will be made available later. To purchase, click here: http://showcase.slamdance.com/Passes-and-Tickets

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Raymond Lo

News: SBIFF announces honors for actresses Brie Larson and Saoirse Ronan


Leading Oscar contenders BRIE LARSON & SAOIRSE RONAN to receive OUTSTANDING PERFORMERS OF THE YEAR AWARD at the 31st SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL!

Santa Barbara International Film Festival Executive Director Roger Durling proudly announced on Tuesday, December 1st, the selection of both Brie Larson and Saoirse Ronan as the twin recipients of the coveted 2016 Outstanding Performers of the Year award. This is the first time the award will be given to two honorees.  Both Larson and Ronan had previously been awarded the festival’s Virtuoso Award, in 2014 and 2010 respectively.  The duo will be celebrated for their remarkable performances in "Room" and "Brooklyn" on Monday February 8, to coincide with the 31st edition of Santa Barbara International Film Festival, one of the the biggest SoCal Film Festivals, which will run February 3 to February 13, 2016.

Durling stated, “This is an incredible year for emerging talent to take center stage and showcase their abilities. We’ve long been following the careers of Brie and Saoirse and their recent roles as empowered young women transcend time, place and circumstance” Adding, “We are so proud to be jointly celebrating these two great actresses in such strong performances.”

Larson and Ronan will join a recognized group of previous Outstanding Performer Award recipients, including: Steve Carell (2015), Cate Blanchett (2014), Jennifer Lawrence (2013), Viola Davis (2012), James Franco (2011), Colin Firth (2010), Penelope Cruz (2009), Angelina Jolie (2008), Helen Mirren (2007), Heath Ledger (2006), Kate Winslet (2005) and Charlize Theron (2004).

The festival previously announced honors for the legendary Jane Fonda (Youth) with its Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film. It has also announced that it will honor Johnny Depp (Black Mass) with its Maltin Modern Master Award and Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams (Spotlight) as an ensemble with its American Riviera Award.  It is also set to celebrate Elizabeth Banks (Love & Mercy), Joel Edgerton (Black Mass), Paul Dano (Love & Mercy, Youth) and Jacob Tremblay (Room) with the Virtuoso Award among additional, yet to be announced, honorees.

For more information, and to purchase tickets, festival passes and packages, please visit www.sbiff.org.

XXX
Raymond Lo

News: "Mad Max: Fury Road" named 2015 Best Film by the National Board of Review


The National Board of Review has once again ushered in the Oscar season with the surprise announcement of George Miller's highly acclaimed reboot MAD MAX: FURY ROAD as the 2015 Best Film of the Year. Some of the buzziest films of the season like "Carol", "Brooklyn", "Steve Jobs" and "The Revenant" did not receive any mention at all but "Straight Outta Compton", "Creed" and "Sicario" - three of my favorites this year - made the list alongside "Room", "Bridge of Spies", "The Hateful Eight", "Inside Out", "Spotlight" and "The Martian".

Below is the full list of the awards given by the National Board of Review:

Best Film:  Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Director:  Ridley Scott – The Martian

Best Actor:  Matt Damon – The Martian

Best Actress: Brie Larson – Room

Best Supporting Actor:  Sylvester Stallone – Creed

Best Supporting Actress:  Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight

Best Original Screenplay:  Quentin Tarantino – The Hateful Eight

Best Adapted Screenplay:  Drew Goddard – The Martian

Best Animated Feature:  Inside Out

Breakthrough Performance:  Abraham Attah – Beasts of No Nation & Jacob Tremblay – Room

Best Directorial Debut:  Jonas Carpignano – Mediterranea

Best Foreign Language Film:  Son of Saul

Best Documentary:  Amy

William K. Everson Film History Award:  Cecilia De Mille Presley

Best Ensemble:  The Big Short

Spotlight Award:  Sicario, for Outstanding Collaborative Vision

NBR Freedom of Expression Award:  Beasts of No Nation & Mustang

Top Films
Bridge of Spies
Creed
The Hateful Eight
Inside Out
Spotlight
The Martian
Room
Sicario
Straight Outta Compton

Top 5 Foreign Language Films
Goodnight Mommy
Mediterranea
Phoenix
The Second Mother
The Tribe

Top 5 Documentaries
Best of Enemies
The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution
The Diplomat
Listen to Me Marlon
The Look of Silence

Top 10 Independent Films
’71
45 Years
Cop Car
Ex Machina
Grandma
It Follows
James White
Mississippi Grind
Welcome to Me
While We’re Young

NBR President Annie Schulhof said, “2015 has been a banner year for popular cinema. We are thrilled to be awarding George Miller and Ridley Scott, two iconic filmmakers at the top of their game, while also celebrating the next generation of talent.”

The 2015 Gala will be held on Tuesday, January 5, 2016 and will be hosted by Willie Geist.

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Raymond Lo